Why I Was Wrong: E3 Recap

It's amazing to look back at E3 predictions and mindsets before the big event. With the perfect 20/20 of hindsight, it's interesting and somewhat funny to see just how spot-on some ideas were, and how incredibly wrong others turned out to be. Fortunately, my previous blog belonged to the latter. And I'm glad. Now, with new confirmations and a clearer idea of how the next generation will potentially turn out, I have decided to give my general thoughts about E3, after sleeping quite a few nights on it; specifically, in regards to the Big Three. Yes, even Nintendo.

Microsoft and the Xbox One

Let's start it off with the first conference of E3, way back on Monday, which feels like ages ago in this incredibly fast-paced era of immediate information. Let's also keep in mind Microsoft's achievements before the deluge of Sony announcements that put some of Xbox One's less than amazing "features" to shame. First and foremost, Microsoft showed a focus on exclusives it never even came close to demonstrating current/last gen. It wasn't just the Jawa Halo trailer, or the admittedly beautiful Forza demonstration, but also impressive showings from creative new IPs like Project Spark, Ryse, Quantum Break, and Insomniac's Sunset Overdrive, which looked amazing. Oh, but it's an exclusive!?! Alongside that now-inferior price point, the announcement of Sunset Overdrive's exclusivity was disappointing. Insomniac's jumping off the Sony ship was thought to be a way to basically triple the install base available to exposure, but exclusivity (at least for Sunset Overdrive) seems to spit in Sony's previously caring face. Regardless, Microsoft's impressive showing of games, while appearing somewhat pandering after the backlash of the Xbox One reveal event, was solid and focused on the right audience. It's too bad that Sony's conference had to dwarf it by comparison.

Sony and the PlayStation 4

Let me be clear: I don't hate Microsoft, nor do I irrationally wish for its demise. But as a long-time Sony supporter, even during the dark days of 360 domination and PSN outages, I would be lying if I didn't feel a swell of pride during the amazing portions of Sony's conference. To be clear, there were not-so-amazing portions as well. The conference opened up with a typically Sony sizzle reel; that's a good thing. But when talk started with PS3, dragged on a bit, and touched on The Last of Us, a great game that was nevertheless coming out later in the week, I was a little worried. Turns out I had no need to be. Even impressive showings of Beyond: Two Souls and Gran Turismo 6, which will be present on the PS3, instilled me a sense of excitement that was still incredibly surpassed by next-gen showings. But first, other entertainment stuff!

Thankfully, the Sony Pictures portion of the conference was relatively short, and allusions to exclusive content actually raised some interest that I never thought was there. However, interest in the previously leaked title "Order 1866" was legitimized by a CG trailer that was as hype-inducing as CG trailers can be. Doesn't hurt that the game appears to be developed by Ready At Dawn, with direction from Sony Santa Monica. I'm not crazy enough about steampunk to attend one of the many conventions that pop up in town, but the vibe of the game definitely impressed. The Beyond (!) crew's unexpected appearance on-screen was an awesome bonus to the demonstration by Shuhei Yoshida, the best gaming executive out there. Killzone: Shadow Fall's more colorful appearance, more Gran Turismo in the form of Drive Club, and especially Infamous: Second Son's showing (Nirvana was an awesome touch) served to prove that established franchises, and new ones that look very similar to others, had something new to offer. Sony's subsequent and contrasting focus on indie developing, during which it was revealed that developers will be able to self-publish, was, incredibly, just as exciting. Varied offerings from games like Mercenary Kings, from the same team behind the amazing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Secret Ponchos, Outlast, and the HD remake of Oddworld actually seemed to offer a clearer glimpse at the potential of next generation systems, at least in regards to the PS4. And of course, we were treated to a fantastic announcement...

Square Enix's decision to re-brand Final Fantasy Versus XIII as XV (from what I understand) was a little baffling, especially since I thought Versus XIII had something to do with the actual XIII series. But what do I know? Nothing, really, in regards to Final Fantasy. But Square Enix also announced something that, really, gave me my only true fanboy moment of E3: Kingdom Hearts III. As a longtime fan of the paradoxical Final Fantasy/Disney crossover, the announcement hit every bit of wonder felt when playing the original game when I was a younger, yet no less intelligent, child. After that, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, the previously (very) interesting Watch Dogs (Watch_Dogs?), and Elder Scrolls Online seemed to lack anything that could excite me any further. Until the satire started. When Sony's press conference turned to amazing digs at Microsoft's controversial next-gen policies, and eventually to a relatively amazing price point, my Twitter feed blew up, which coincidentally mirrored how I felt. I felt glad that I was wrong about Sony's stance on DRM (even if it's still kinda-sorta up to publishers). And I also felt, really for the first time, a feeling of pride in, and true loyalty to, a product and a brand. That's a foreign feeling to a cynic that sees every company's decision motivated by money, which Sony's still undoubtedly were. But there's no doubt that Sony's E3 2013 conference will be remembered for a long time, especially after seeing how each company's fortunes fare as we head into, possibly, the last generation of consoles as we know them.

Nintendo and the Wii U

Oh, and Nintendo demonstrated that it's not worried. That, or it really is just clueless as to the direction the industry is going. Regardless, I think Nintendo's thoughts revolve on the former mindset, and the fact that it doesn't feel the need to enter into the same fight raging between Sony and Microsoft. Ultimately, it showed a (somewhat disappointing) adherence to big brand first-party and limited third-party support. When I finally found a stream that worked, that first-party support looked kind of weak, at least from a general consumer standpoint. Admittedly, Pokèmon X and Y made me excited for Pokèmon games for the first time since Generation III. Super Mario 3D World and Mario Kart 8, which will almost definitely be great and fun games, didn't do anything to truly wow me. The "casual" and third-party portions of the Nintendo Direct were, honestly, a bit sad, but some of the eShop offerings fell into line with what the indie developers did at Sony's conference. And then followed demonstrations for games that still gain a solid "meh" from me. Wind Waker HD looked beautiful, but...I've already played it, and the game still looks beautiful. Maybe not so much technically, but certainly artistically. And Wonderful 101 looked like something that I would enjoy, but never really talk about for much longer after. Hopefully it will prove me wrong.

But the ultimate lowpoint of Nintendo's conf...I mean, Direct, was the announcement of Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze. Despite its terrible name, the game looks great from a huge Donkey Kong Country fan, but the fact that Retro, a studio that many hoped would be busy reviving Metroid or even Star Fox, was developing it was the crushing blow to many. But Bayonetta has short hair now, so that's cool! In all seriousness, Bayonetta 2 looks no worse for wear under Nintendo's publishing efforts, and Monolithsoft's game had me just as intrigued as I was when Xenoblade Chronicles was announced/eventually released in the States. But, of course, the big news was the announcement of the new Smash Bros. games, named (just as terribly as with Donkey Kong) Super Smash Bros. Wii U and Super Smash Bros. 3DS. And Mega Man. The fans clamored, and (I would like to think) Masahiro Sakurai listened. However, I think I'm in the minority when I say I'm not extremely pumped. I suppose it's the law of diminishing returns, but the next Smash Bros. seems to look a lot like Brawl, which is less exciting than the jump from Melee to Brawl, and, to a greater degree, the original to Melee. Regardless, the game looks like insane fun, and the 3DS version has a great, fitting art style. I'm looking forward to the tentative "2014" release, but certainly not giddy with anticipation. And that's how I feel about Nintendo's efforts in general. The self-righteous, selfish gamer in me wants to see different things; new IPs, returns of old ones, and the kind of innovation in established franchises that only Nintendo can pull off. The E3 2013 Nintendo Direct didn't do that. I'm still extremely confident in my 3DS, but I'm still waiting for the drive to get a Wii U. Price cut, anyone?

Why I Was Wrong

Microsoft actually focused on games and exclusives

I thought Insomniac would be cross-platform for the rest of its existence, with the exception of Ratchet and Clank

Halo trailer was actually Halo, not Star Wars. It looked like Tatooine and I was hopeful for a Jawa game!

Speaking of Star Wars, Battlefront, am I right!?! It's too bad that I thought EA would never return to the IP. Stupid me.

I mean, I wasn't technically wrong, but I never thought Sony would spend time during a press conference talking about a game coming out later in the week.

Order 1866 is a Ready At Dawn/Sony Santa Monica game, not Naughty Dog.

Sony is not enforcing DRM, even if it is kinda-sorta leaving it up to publishers, at least in "creative ways".

Sony stayed with the "for the gamers" approach that was kind of just given to it.

Pokèmon X and Y actually looked like innovative new Pokèmon games, and I was excited.

The next 3D Mario wasn't incredibly exciting right off the bat, nor was it called Super Mario Universe. I guess Nintendo would have boxed itself into a corner with that one...where do you go from universe!?!

Mario Kart 8, well, exists.

eShop offerings looked unique instead of like "enhanced" ports.

Retro is not developing the next Star Fox. Yeah, I was in the Star Fox camp.

Mega Man is in Smash Bros. I have been on record saying Mega Man would never appear in a Smash Bros. game until he received his next major title or he appeared in a Capcom fighter.

As you can see, I was wrong about many things, and that's mostly a good thing.

And since I'm actually interested: what were you wrong about in regards to E3 announcements? Or, in perhaps a nicer way, what were you pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised about in regards to E3 announcements? Let me know in the comments!